Salsa

To choose a fresh tomatillo, they should be firm and the husks mostly intact. A split is ok, but you want them looking pretty tight. Roast the onions here if you like a deeper, caramelized flavor, or add them in raw for a more authentic salsa.

Tart and fiery, this classic bright-green salsa shows off the flavor of tomatillos and the lovable grassy sharpness of fresh unripe chiles. Serve it with anything that would benefit from lively contrast, such as Chopped Fried-Fish Tacos .

Charring the vegetables adds bittersweet depth; serve leftovers on scrambled eggs.

Briefly cooking the tomatoes is key–the finished sauce should still be very fresh-tasting.

Radishes make a crunchy salsa for these–or any other taco you're serving this summer.

This is a spicy yet balanced salsa for green sauce lovers.

This cooked tomato salsa has a smooth, sauce-like texture that makes it perfect for dipping chips or drizzling over nachos.

This smoky, fiery concoction is inspired by Bar Amá's "Bus Driver" salsa.

Cabeza—or beef cheek—tacos are some of the best things this planet has to offer as food. I ate so many of these and other tacos growing up in both L.A. and Orange County that it became part of me and, in a way, prepared me to cook my own tacos. Splash some salsa verde on there, and that's it: SoCal, and especially L.A., on a plate.

This deceptively simple condiment is as addictive as pesto and as transformative as a squeeze of lemon. Spoon it onto fish, chicken, steak, roasted vegetables, or even pasta.